Floor jack



M. WIGGINS 2,582,665

FLOOR JACK 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 2 Jan. 15, 1952 Filed Nov. 23', 1948 I, I I

Patented Jan. 15, 1952 moon JA'oK r mammwiggms, FortM ei mn."ApplicatioriNovember 2s,-194s;tseria1 Nof61,579

(elven-+16) 'e'hClaims.

u'nmsinvention relates tmdevices ror aiatflitating layingitongiue andgroo' vc 'flooring and particulaii includes a smemztool' that is clamped011 a joist onrrwming member and:which' -is provided with lever bywhiohconsiderable pressure may beiplacedz'against a; piece of -flooringtoforce-the tongueiiintovthe groove andwvhieh also" hold-s the floutingtiehtuuntik it' is nailed.

'i'lillei purpose of this invention isi-to'providea flooring jab]: :fortightemng uptongue azid=g-ropve hosting 80 that the i joint may becompletely closed. i

iti is -allwaysidiffieult 4:0 lay tongue anwgroove flooring" with tightjoints as it is desired" to have the tonguel fit" tightly"in the grooveand for' this reason -ther grooves do not slide freely"-overthe tongues.Most earp'enters hammerthetongue to foree grooves over the tongue ofthe'next piece ofriifloorines and this unsets the-tongue so that itiszdimeult to dorce" the next piece offlooring ever. With this-thoughtinmindthis invehtioncontempiates za' jack that may readily be moved"from one: 3 oist to another -and which is adaptd to be quieklye clamped'to' the joist-=and=-readilyactuated by a hand lever to forcemfijam the"groove of? one; piece of 'floo'ring oven the tongue of another.

llThe iobject of -this invention is," therfore," to provfide a uni'queflooringj able that is adapted to beiquickly clampedl on" ai joistaridwhich includes a' forcing: e1ementthat not on1y'"forces'thefiooring'together but holdsithe flooring in positionuntil'itis nailed.

Another object- 01 the 'inverition is "to provide amend actuated jack'for forcing pieces oftongue and groovefflooring together that-mayreadily be re'lea'sed atterhuse.

:Another' obiect of the'*inveiition is to provide a fioorq'ack forforcing-tongue and groove"flooring together thatm'ay-readi'ly"-be"'fblddso that 2 it: may be -earried in the averagetool "box.

A further bbj'ect or the inventiomis to'provide an improved fio'or ja ckfonhold ing tongue and groove fiooringwhile'nai1ing-which-is ofa simpleand economical construction.

5 2 trating the'device'oma "floor joist with the'forcing barirrengagementwtitha'pieceof'flooring and with the hand lever brokenaway;

Figure' 2--is -a"view showing a sideelevation of thefloor jackwith theparts inzthe; position. as illustrated in-Figure 1 -Fig-u-re "3 "a"vertical longitudinal section throughthe floor jack taken'on 'line3 3Of'Eigure l anid" with the partsin' the'same relative positions; 7

Figure 4 is a view showing an end elevation .of thefioor -ja'ck'takenon" line4- 4 of Figure'3; and

*Figure 5 is *a cross' section through' the jack taken on line 5*5'ofFigureZ.

"Referring now. tothe drawings where-inlike reference "characters denotecorresponding;- parts thefloor 'packof this-invention is formed with abase I t having a forcing bar I I slidablyimounted on the-forwardend;blamping sides I2 and I I3 pivotal-lymounte'dmn the base bypins I4 and I5 respectively, a-cam =I6-actuated by handle II,

' and a hand lever l8 removably-mounted in a,

socket I9 by a thumb screw 20.

The base i I t "is formed of afiatrectangular shaped member-and thebar II is-carried by pins 2 I" and 22--'which extend into sockets 23 and) 24in the-fiforward end, respectively. The *bar I I is provided 'with a-'groove 25 thatie adapted to fit overa tongue 2 6-'-of I; a piece offlooring 2 I. The bar II is actuated bythe hand 'lever 18 through thesocket I 9 which-is pivotally mounted by a'pin 28 in 1ugs 29 and 30that-are mounted froni'the-sides of'the socket I9. "The opposite end ofthe brace is attached to the' bar I I by: a hinge on M -with =sorews35."Afterthe-hand lever I8 has been"- drawn forward" to force the'fioo'ring into'place, itis heldin this position-bye: latchh V V 'Withthese andiitherobrects" and advantages ing-"b'ar'or 'latch 36;"Whi'0h ispivot'ally mounted on-the-socketby a pin 31, the opposite" end-of thebar beingprovided with a: proj action: 38" that drops =ihto-teeth Winthe .upper' surface or the base IlJyas shown in Figure 3.

The ackis' clamygxectin operatiye" position by the sideplates I2 andthrou'ghthe cam 1,6; the sloping'sid'es of "which 'engageilugs'" 40 and"4 I.. on the inner surface of the platesIZ and 1,3, respectively; .andasth'handle' '1 L of the camlis forced downwardly the lugs 40 and 4 I..are' rforcednutwardly which a'dtion forcesithe. points 42-(andh43 intothe sides biaj'oistT-M. sThesides' I2 andal3 are resilientlyheld withthlugs 40 and 4| against 3 the cam by a spring 45 the ends of which areattached to the upper ends of the sides. The cam I 6 is pivotallymounted in the sides 12 and [3 by a pin 46 and the handle I! is attachedto the bar 36 by a chain 41.

With the parts arranged in this manner the lack may be placed on a floorjoist, as indicated by the numeral 44, and the handle I! presseddownwardly toforce the points-orteeth 4 2' and 43- into engagement withthe sides of the joist. The groove of the forcin bar I may then beplaced over the tongue of a piece of flooring and; the hand lever I8drawn forward to force the flooring into position. As the hand levermovesforwardthe projection 38 drops into a tooth 39, thereby. lockingthe-parts in position until 'theflo'oring is nailed. After the flooringis secured in. place, the jack is released by raising the hand lever I!which in turn drawsthe bar 36 upward by the chain 41 thereby releasingthe, hand lever, and clamping elements; 7

The hand lever 'l 8 may be readily removed from the socket [9 forconvenientpacking ina tool box or the'lik'e by removing the thumb screw20.

It will be understoodthat modificationsmay. be madeinthe designandarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit oftheinvention.

What is claimed is 1. A toolfor tightening tongue and groove floor ingcomprising a base, cam'actuated gripping jaws pivotally mounted on, thebase: for; item porarily clamping the tool to a floor joist a hub hayingbeveled end surfaces journaled in the, jaws andhavingan extended handle,said beveled surfacesof the hubcoactingwith corresponding innersurf-aces of the-jaws whereby upon rotation of; the hubthejaws'areaotuated to gripping rela wi h h floorv i i t. a orcing a a red by thej forward; end of the tool, and slidably:

mounted on the said base,;. ahand lever pivotally, mounted on the tool,a brace connecting the hand leve o e r inebar aid basev n pac. d;.

ee h, in he u per surface-an lat hcarned. by thehand lever andpositionedto engage the e rg n the upaen ur ce f; e base oftheo l to lock theforcingbar in'operativeposition; until, the fiooring islnailed.

2, A tool for tightening tongue and groove flooring, comprisingj abasehaying a plurality of; teeth in I the upper: surface and I spacedfrom; one

end; thereof, cam ,actuated gripping jaws pivotally mounted on the.sides, f the base and extended upwardly and downwardly from the base,, ahub having cam surfacesonthe endsand an extended handle pivotally.mounted in the jawswhereby uponrotation thereof the upper ends ofthejaws;

are spread apart-and the lower ends thereof are forcedtogetherforclamping; the base to afioor; joist, a forcing, bar carriedby, the, forward end of the/base and slidably mounted thereon,

a, hand lever pivotallvmounted on the;base,;a Ev brace conne'ctingthe.hand-leven-to the forcing; bar, and a latch carried by; thehand leverand having aprojection:thereon'fpositioned to engage the teeth, inftheupper surface of the base to lock the forcing, bar in operative positionwhile,

the flooring is nailed.

3, A, toolfor tightening tongue and grooved flooring comprising'a, basehaving teethin the upper surface and spaced from one endthereof,

sideplates pivotallymounted1on the base, and ex-.

tending upwardly and downwardly therefrom, saidside plates having lugswith sloping surfaces on the inner sides thereof, a cam with slopingends pivotally mounted in the side plates with the ends positioned toengage the lugs thereof, means resiliently urging the side platesagainst the ends of the cam, said cam having a handle extendingtherefrom by which it may be rotated to force the lower ends of the sideplates into clamping engagement with a floor joist upon which the tool,is positioned; a forcing bar: carried by the forward end of the base andslidablymounted therein, a hand lever pivotally mounted on the base, abrace connecting the hand lever to the forcing bar, and a latch carriedby the hand lever and having a projection positioned to engage theteeththe upper surface of base to lock the forcingbar inoperativeposition while flooring is nailed.

4.- .A tool for tightening tongue and groove flooring, comprising a basehaving teeth in the HHR PJ surface alldi spaced; from one; end thereof,side plates pivotally mounted on. the base; and extending upwardly anddownwardly therefrom; said side plates ,haViIlg;1ugW -;th slopingsurfaces; on the, inner sides; thereof,, a, cam; with sloping, endsvpivotally mounted; in, the side plates: with the ends positionedto;engage; the lugs thereof; means resiliently r in he: side. plat s aainst the, ends of 7 the cam, said camhaving: a;handle extendingtherefrom; by;-: W1iiQh;it may be rotated; topforce-the lowerendfizofthe side plates; into; clamping engagement with a floor joist,upon: whi h et qlis positi ned; aufprcing; bamarried by, the forward endof,. thee basez ind slidably: ounted ther on ahand levermivotallymounted; on thebase, a brace, connecting the; hand lever; to the, forcinba -r, a, latch comprising: a barihavr' ing, a projection on, the;,end;thereofv pivotally; mounted on the hand levenandgextendedmhereby: the;projection; engages, the; teeth, in, the; upper; surface of the; base,anda flexible; element: con-- necting the handle of the; cam; to the:said: bar; piv y, ru n e l n thehandiever; and havin the p je t o th ron or, releasi g; the, latch: asthecam is released,

5. A tool, for; tightening v tongue, and; groove; flooring, comprising abase. side plates extend+=- ing upwardlyand downwardlyirom thebaseandpivotally mountedthereonsaid side platesflhav ing; lugs, on 1 the,inner; surfaces; thereof, a: cam; pivotally;mountedin,theside;platesihavingslops- Surfaceg d pt d; to n a e he; ugs;on theg inner surfaces of the side plates, said camzhaving; a, handleextending, therefromfer actuating; the cam ,to spread theiupperends; ofthe; side plates:- for forcing theslower ends ;of,-the;;side-plateszinto; clamping engagement with a floor -joist on,which the:jack is positioned,- a; spring; connecting the upper ends of the sideplates; holding the lugs;v thereof in engagement with-the ends of,thelcam;

a hand; lever, pivotally mounted v-pon the? base, a;

forcing bar positioned: at. the: forward end of the base, meansconnecting tl'lehand';leyer;to ,the;

forcing bar, and; a--,latch;,for locking the hand; lever in operativepositions.

6. A tool, for, tightening, tongne and; groove flooring comprising a,base,, side plates extending, upwardly, anddownwardly, from thebaseandpivotal y mou t d the n aidside "plates havi lugs ,on the ,innersurfacesithereojf, a,cam;pivote a handle extendingtherefromfor-actuating the cam to spreadthe ,upper ends; of} the. side,plates thereby forcing thelower ends of the side plates into clampingengagement with a floor joist on which the tool is positioned, a springconnecting the upper ends of the side plates holding the lugs thereof inengagement with the ends of the cam, a hand lever pivotally mounted onthe base, a forcing bar positioned at the forward end of the base, meansconnecting the hand lever to the forcing bar, a latch for locking thehand lever in operative position and means releasing the latch as thecam is released.

7. A tool for tightening tongue and groove flooring comprising a basehaving teeth in the upper surface and spaced from one end thereof, sideplates pivotally mounted on the base, a cam pivotally mounted betweenthe side plates and having a handle extending therefrom, said camadapted to spread the upper ends of the side plates, thereby forcinglower ends thereof into engagement with a joist upon which the jack ispositioned, means urging the upper ends of the side plates against thecam, a hand lever pivotally mounted on the base, a flooring forcingelement connected to the hand lever and adapted to be operated thereby,a latching element carried by the hand lever and having a projection toengage the teeth of the base for locking the hand lever in the positionof holding the flooring until the flooring is secured in position, andmeans connecting the latching element to the cam whereby the latchingelement is released as the cam is released.

MARVIN WIGGINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 492,010 Greeley Feb. 21, 1893764,128 Jefiords et al July 5, 1904

